Class Clowns is an annual search for Australia's funniest high school student. This competition runs as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...

, and is one of the major events of the festival.

Heats, semi finals and then finals are run in each Australian state and territory, with the winners of the state finals competing in the Grand Final in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. The Grand Final had been held in the Melbourne Town Hall every year until 2010 when it made the switch to the Malthouse Theatre. Professional comedians who have hosted the grand final are such big names in comedy as Tom Gleeson, Raymond J Bartholemuez and special guest comedians perform a headline set (in previous years comedians such as Peter Helliar

Peter Helliar

Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...

, Tripod

Tripod (band)

Tripod is an Australian musical comedy act, specialising in improv, parody and satire. As its name suggests, the band is a trio; it comprises Scod , Yon and Gatesy...

, Ross Noble

Ross Noble

Ross Markham Noble is an English stand-up comedian, brought up in Cramlington, Northumberland, England.Noble rose to mainstream popularity through making appearances on British television, particularly interviews and on celebrity quiz shows such as Have I Got News for You...

, and Judith Lucy

Judith Lucy

Judith Mary Lucy is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy. She has toured Australia with several highly successful one-woman shows, including No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado , King Of The Road , An Impossible Dream , The Show , The Show 2 , Colour Me Judith...

 have performed).

Notable comedians who have performed as entrants in Class Clowns include, Tom Ballard

Tom Ballard

Tom Ballard is a tall, blond, fast-talking, openly gay, Australian radio presenter and comedian.-Early life:Thomas Colin Ballard grew up in Warrnambool, Victoria and attended Brauer College Warrnambool, graduating in 2007 where he was dux with an ENTER of 99.80, and was consequently named as the...

, Jack Druce

Jack Druce

Jack Druce ' is an Australian standup comedian, and comedy writer-Comedy career:Jack Druce began his comedy career in the Melbourne Comedy Festival's Schools program Class Clowns in 2006...

, Danny McGinlay, Mia Timpano, Michael Connell, Tully

Tully

Tully is a surname of Irish origin. The surname itself and its variants include; Tally, MacTully, Tilly and Flood, all of which can derive from several different unrelated Irish families such as; Ó Maoltuile, Taithligh, Mac Maoltuile, Ó Taithligh, and Mac an Tuile...

, Paul Jones

Paul Jones

Paul Jones may refer to:*Paul Jones , Australian politician*Paul Jones , American Episcopal Bishop*Paul Jones , British former professional boxer...

 and Imaan Hadchiti

Imaan Hadchiti

Imaan Hadchiti is a Lebanese-Australian comedian and actor. Born in Mylor, South Australia, Hadchiti and his sister Rima Hadchiti are the only two known cases of "Rima Syndrome", a genetic condition causing small-stature yet retaining normal proportions. Hadchiti stands tall, and many of his...

.

Winner's of the competition

• 2002- Goibon Hanastende
• 2003- Fred Sterer
• 2004- Stephen brooks
• 2005-Imaan hadchiti and Tobey Duncan
• 2006- Adam Knox
• 2007-Sara Stockdespoia
• 2009-Neel Kolhatkar
• 2010-Matthew Ford

2008 National Finalists

(in order of appearance)

• Lukas Blom - NT
• The South Estonian Acting Troupe (David Bucknell, Ross McKinnon, Drew Modern) - VIC
• Catherine Hall - VIC - Runner up
• The Magical Typewriter (Daniel Archer, and Zack Munday) - VIC - Runner up
• Aaron Nobes - SA - Winner
• F.O.B. (Sarah Le, Mystery Tat) - VIC
• Freneche Banovich - TAS
• Mitch ‘n’ Max (Sarah McCreanor, Alexandra Mitchell) - QLD
• The Gleesom Threesome (Paris Burns, Cymatha Heather, Tess Stapleton-Clark) - WA
• Ella Reed - NSW
• Toby Silcock - ACT
• Emily Beeton - QLD

External links

• http://www.theage.com.au/national/melbourne-life/going-for-the-jocular-20100907-14zmd.html
• Report on Competition (Brazilian News)
• 7:30 Report transcript